How to get better faster when you have the flu, according to science

When flu season is in full swing, many of us will end up coughing, aching and hiding under the covers as we fight off the seasonal infection. Fortunately, most people with the flu feel better within about a week of their symptoms beginning.

Nonetheless, the average influenza infection can disrupt daily life and also pose the risk of spreading the flu. That raises a question: Are there any scientifically proven ways to shorten a flu infection?

Live Science spoke with two experts to find out.

Related: How do people die of the flu?

Can antiviral drugs shorten a flu infection?

The main way to reduce the duration of a flu infection is to take antiviral medications, meaning drugs specifically designed to combat viral infections, Dr. Timothy Brewer, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at UCLA, told Live Science. Four antivirals are currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat influenza: Tamiflu (generic name oseltamivir), Relenza (zanamivir), Rapivab (peramivir) and Xofluza (baloxavir).

Tamiflu is likely the best known example of a flu antiviral. This prescription drug, taken by mouth, is approved for use by people who are at least 2 weeks old and who have had flu symptoms for no more than two days. The drug works by blocking the activity of an enzyme that typically enables flu viruses to replicate inside the body. This enzyme is relevant to influenza A and B viruses, the two main types of seasonal flu that sicken people. Thus, Tamiflu helps the immune system thwart infections.

There's good evidence that, if you start taking Tamiflu within the first two days of your symptoms starting, the drug will shorten the duration of your illness, Brewer said. Flu symptoms typically last for around a week, and clinical trials have shown that Tamiflu can accelerate recovery by about a day, compared with a placebo.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends that patients who are hospitalized for an influenza infection be given an antiviral like Tamiflu as soon as they are admitted. Research suggests that taking Tamiflu upon admission can slash death rates by 40%, compared with delaying the treatment by just a few days.

Relenza, Rapivab and Xofluza differ from Tamiflu in the way they are administered. For example, Relenza is inhaled, while Rapivab is injected. The drugs are also approved for different groups than Tamiflu; Xofluza is only available for patients who are at least 5 years old, for instance. There's also evidence that these drugs can shorten the duration of flu symptoms by about a day.

Related: Flu shot lowers hospitalization risk by 35% in vulnerable groups, data hint

Are there any other ways to shorten a flu infection?

Some people may take non-pharmaceutical products — such as vitamin C, zinc or echinacea — in the hope of alleviating their flu symptoms and getting better faster. However, there's currently not enough clinical evidence to suggest that these strategies accomplish either of those goals.

A lot of research has focused on how these products specifically target symptoms of the common cold, rather than the flu. Colds are also respiratory illnesses, but they can be caused by a number of different viruses, whereas the flu is only caused by influenza viruses.

"If people want to take vitamin C, that's certainly a fine thing to do, but there's no evidence that I'm aware of that it has any benefit [for the flu]," Brewer said. "Zinc is another thing that people have tried — again with no clear evidence that it impacts the duration of flu infection."

There are a few drugs on the market that can treat flu symptoms, but they don't target the root cause of the infection to shorten its duration. For example, pain relievers and fever reducers like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen can help alleviate flu symptoms, Dr. Richard Zimmerman, a professor of family medicine and clinical epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh, told Live Science.

However, there is a very small risk that children and teenagers who take aspirin while they have a viral illness can develop a deadly disease called Reye's syndrome, which can cause brain swelling and liver damage. While the exact cause of the condition is unknown, because of this connection between the drug and viral infections, aspirin should not be given to people younger than 19 unless a doctor advises it.

Honey has a pretty good track record for treating coughs, Zimmerman noted. However, it should never be given to children younger than 1 year old because there is a risk that they could develop infant botulism. That's because honey can be contaminated with the spores of Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium behind botulism, and babies' immune systems are not mature enough to subdue the infection.

Getting a flu shot won't necessarily make your infection any shorter if you do end up catching influenza. However, the vaccine can reduce the severity of your symptoms if you get infected. This puts you at lower risk of developing serious complications of the illness that can lead to hospitalization or death, such as severe pneumonia.

Vaccination is a preventive measure for flu, not a treatment, in part because it takes about 14 days after vaccination for an immune response to fully develop. By that time, your body would have likely already fought off the infection if you caught the flu within the same time window, Zimmerman said. That's why experts recommend you get your flu shot in September or October, before flu season starts ramping up in earnest.

At baseline, everything you can do to maintain a healthy immune system — such as eating a nutritious diet, getting enough sleep, not smoking, and staying hydrated — will also likely reduce your risk of getting seriously ill from influenza infection, Brewer said. But antivirals are your best bet for shortening the illness.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.

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